Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Taking refuge in the community

Thus, when you define yourself as a seeker after sensual gratification then you surround yourself with other people who are seekers after sensual gratification. When you define yourself as an intellectual you often surround yourself with intellectuals. When you define yourself as a seeker after consciousness, you start to surround yourself with other seekers after consciousness, because in that phase being around such people really gives you a kind of environmental support.

When it comes to your inner work and your spiritual development, who you hang out with matters. This is why coming to meditation class is so helpful. We break out of our isolation that way and connect with other people who care about developing mindfulness and becoming aware. But even if you're in an area where coming to class is not an option, you can connect with the community of practitioners by knowing deeply that others on the path to awakening are supporting you on a spiritual plane. And you can know that you are supporting them as well.